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Atlanta Hawks 2017 NBA Draft Film Breakdown: Michigan’s D.J. Wilson vs UCLA’s T.J. Leaf

By Nile Goodwyn

December 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) shoots to score a basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
December 10, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins forward TJ Leaf (22) shoots to score a basket against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Conclusion

A late December game may not tell a complete story for a player or team, but T.J. Leaf surely showed up with an NBA prospect opposing him. On the contrary, D.J. Wilson basically disappeared in a high-level game. In no instance should a 6’10 player with a 7’3 wingspan end a game with a single rebound.

Wilson’s main issue during his 2016-17 season was his drop off of play against other high-level power forwards. In two regular season games against Nigel Hayes and Wisconsin, Wilson scored a total of two points on 1-7 shooting. In comparison, Leaf scored 24 total points against Arizona and projected lottery pick Lauri Markkanen over two regular season games.

T.J. Leaf is a much more NBA-ready prospect than Wilson, which could be more important for the Hawks with Paul Millsap’s pending free agency. If the Hawks intend to compete for a spot in the 2018 playoffs, Leaf would unarguably be the better selection. After three seasons at Michigan, Wilson still looks lost at times at both ends. Leaf, while not nearly as athletically gifted as most other bigs, always looked to understand his placement on the court during his freshman year.

However, if the Hawks’ front office is prepared to do a complete overhaul on the franchise and wait for the 2018-19 season to contend again, Wilson’s upside could weigh more than Leaf’s. With his wingspan and build, Wilson could potentially be one of the league’s premier big men if all goes well.

Next: Atlanta Hawks: A Blueprint on letting Paul Millsap walk during Free Agency

With the draft looming, anything could put a prospect over another. Which respect impressed more during their matchup? Would Wilson or Leaf be good fits on the Hawks?

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